Which life jackets are best?

Safety on the water must be thought out in advance to the smallest detail. In everyday and extreme conditions, life jackets are used for insurance. The main requirements for them are reliability, convenience, and simplicity of design. Finding a universal model that matches them 100% is quite difficult, so it is recommended to proceed from the assigned tasks. The physical characteristics of a person - gender, height, chest size, arm circumference - are decisive for the right choice. It is also important to consider that life jackets for water sports and for fishing from a boat are different products. Athletes need freedom of movement and the most lightweight design, while fishermen need reliable support on the water, signal colors and reflectors. Considering the variety of protective watercraft, we tried to create the most objective rating possible, in which we paid a lot of attention to the purpose of the sample, materials, fit, certification and buoyancy.

Price overview

There are many different models on the market from domestic and foreign manufacturers. Vests are offered for various conditions of use, from various materials, with many functional elements.

The simplest domestically produced models cost at least 600-700 rubles and do not exceed 2000 rubles. These are no-frills vests, with one pocket for a whistle, and orange in color.

The price range for more functional vests with pockets and different colors is already 2000-4000 rubles.

Instructions

When choosing a specific vest, you need to take it very seriously. The first thing you need to know is the weight of the person for whom the vest is being selected. GOST provides two standard sizes of vests, weighing up to 35 kg and weighing over 35 kg.

According to European standards, vests are divided into 4 categories:

For use on a boat not in extreme conditions, vests with a buoyancy rating of 10 or 15 kg according to the European classification are quite suitable.

Recommendations for selection

Types of equipment.

The choice of rescue equipment should begin with its purpose.

1. Sports models are developed for freestyle, rowing slalom, rafting, etc. The equipment should not only ensure the safety of the athlete, but also not interfere with active movements and tricks. All basic requirements for vests are prescribed in the competition regulations. A distinctive feature of sports models is their compactness, lightness, lack of pockets and hangers.
2. Marine vests have great lifting force. They are designed for fishing or kayaking. Manufacturers use fabrics with discreet or camouflage colors. The presence of pockets and a hanging system allows anglers to store useful accessories.
3. Tourist vests are used for rafting. They combine high lifting force with compactness and lightness. Traditionally, in our country, rafting enthusiasts use inflatable models. Modern designs with auto-start operate instantly when a person enters the water, filling the internal space of the equipment with air.
4. For recreation on small bodies of water, you can choose compact and lightweight freshwater vests. It is only important to choose a model that matches the weight and build of the person.
5. Children's models must be purchased together with the child. This is explained by the fact that, with the same weight, the height and waist size of young water athletes are very different. And the vest should be securely fixed on the body, without limiting freedom of movement.

Buoyancy.

An indicator such as buoyancy helps to assess the ability of equipment to hold a load on the surface.

1. In our country, it has long been customary to determine the volume of air that was filled into inflatable structures. For example, a vest with a volume of 10 liters can keep a load weighing 10 kg afloat.
2. When foam-based vests became widespread, foreign classification began to be used more often. It indicates the lift force in Newtons. It is generally accepted that equipment designated 70N can handle a load of 7 kg.
3. However, experts do not advise chasing high buoyancy. As the volume of the vest increases, a person’s mobility decreases. Therefore, it will be very difficult to get ashore on your own in equipment with high buoyancy. For catamaran models, the optimal volume will be 180-250N, and for kayaking, this figure is reduced to 70-80N.

Main characteristics of a life jacket

According to the rules, life jackets are not divided into children's and adults'. There are 2 main types: for people weighing up to 35 kg and more. Regardless of this parameter, any product must have:

• crotch straps – prevent uncontrolled removal of the vest over the head in the water;
• collar and headrest - keep the head above the water in case a person loses consciousness;
• elements that reflect light - facilitate searches at night;
• whistle - useful if you have broken ribs and are unable to call for help;
• splash-proof visor – delays splashes, reduces the risk of drowning;
• signal lights - greatly increase the chances of a successful rescue;
• safety system - attached to the ship, holds a person by the vest even if he falls overboard.

The type and quality of the filler plays an important role. This can be not only foam material, but also ordinary air. An inflatable life jacket is convenient to store and transport, but it wears out quickly, loses its properties when punctured and severely restricts movement. The foam version is more expensive and not very convenient to transport, but it takes the shape of the back and reliably protects against various damages.

Life jackets filled with air are inflated before the start of the rafting or after falling overboard. The latter option is more expedient, since the deflated product does not cause any inconvenience. There are 3 types of inflation trigger:

• manual - this should not be chosen by those who are sure to panic when they find themselves in the water, since the vest inflates after pulling the cord;
• automatic - works due to a water-soluble coil that restrains a spring, which pushes the needle through a can of air;
• hydrostatic - has the same principle of operation as automatic, but unlike it, the reel must be completely immersed in water.

Automatic options are more expensive than manual ones, but more reliable. If a person is injured or unconscious, the manual mechanism will be completely useless.

How to choose?

When choosing a life jacket for fishing, it is necessary to take into account a number of important parameters that reflect the functional features of the product. One of them is the lifting force of the vest, denoted by the letter N (newtons). Vests designed for overweight people have the highest lifting force (from 150N and above). For those with a normal build, vests with lower ratings are suitable.

When choosing a fishing life jacket, it is advisable to give preference to models equipped with such important functional details as:

• adjustable groin and side straps (slings);
• high stand-up collar;
• reflective stripes or stripes.

Adjustable side straps allow you to adjust the width of the vest and adjust it to size if necessary. Groin straps, in turn, will allow you to securely fix the equipment on the body and prevent it from tearing off when falling into the water. The high stand-up collar is an important detail designed to provide additional protection for the angler when falling into the water. In equipment with a high collar, a person will not be able to choke, even while in an unconscious state.

Reflective strips are standard parts of any life jacket. Their presence allows you to make the fisherman more visible in the dark and in poor visibility conditions. Experienced fishermen recommend not to neglect signaling devices that may be required in an emergency. Such means include whistles and waterproof flares, which are often included with rescue equipment.

To choose the right fishing life vest by size, you should carefully study the characteristics of the product and compare them with your parameters (chest circumference, weight). Most manufacturers indicate all the necessary characteristics on a label located on the inside of the product. When purchasing an inflatable life jacket for fishing, you need to check the condition of the CO2 canister. It should be screwed tightly into the vest. There should be no dents or signs of corrosion on the surface of the can.

When choosing a life jacket for fishing, it is extremely important to make sure that you have the appropriate certificates confirming the quality of the product. The seller of the equipment must provide this information upon the buyer’s request.

To learn how to choose a life jacket for fishing wisely, watch the following video.

Source

The best manufacturers and models

In modern fishing and outdoor equipment stores you can find various models of life jackets from domestic and foreign manufacturers. Below is a ranking of the best brands and models of vests.

Lalizas

A reputable European manufacturer producing high-quality protective equipment and rescue equipment. The company's extensive product range includes several lines of certified life jackets of various types and configurations.

One of the most popular models is the Lalizas Alpha 71100 170N life jacket . This is a compact, lightweight model that automatically inflates when a person falls into the water. Within 5 seconds, the Lalizas Alpha vest turns a person face up and holds him there, even if he is unconscious.

"Free wind"

The largest domestic manufacturer producing reliable and high-quality equipment for outdoor activities and water tourism. In addition to the high quality of the equipment offered by this manufacturer, users note its affordable cost.